How do I zoom with Ctrl instead of Alt on Windows in Adobe CC?

Question

In Windows, the standard scroll-wheel zoom key is Ctrl. Pretty much everything follows this standard, including all web browsers, Word, Explorer, even Adobe Reader. Except Adobe Creative Cloud software (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, etc.). It uses the Alt key instead.

This drives me nuts. Switching between all of these programs has my fingers in a frazzle. I keep using the wrong key in the wrong program.

To make matters worse, I also use Macintosh PCs on a daily basis (school vs home), and they use Alt to zoom. I could deal with the differences between MacOS and Windows just fine, except Adobe CC on Windows has to come in and throw a spanner in the works.

Is there a way to scroll-wheel zoom with Ctrl in Adobe CC software on Windows, instead of Alt?

Answer 1

I believe you got 3 options:

1. There's the Zoom with scroll wheel, so you can zoom just by using the scroll wheel.
2. There's the cmd+space + mouse click zooming (alt+space for zooming out).
3. ...and the same thing as the previous method, except instead of a mouse click, you mouse drag sideways with the mouse while pressing down those same modifier keys. Also works if you switch to the zoom tool (Z), if you're not a fan of modifier keys at all

Answer 2

The only way I think you can do this is through Autohotkey. It’s a bit of work, but worth the effort. You have to first install Autohotkey. And then run a script on your background. For me it is always running on my background.

For a guide to Autohotkey look here.

Make a script with this code. It does the following: When you are working in Indesign, the middle mouse button lets you move the page, as if you were pressing space and left mouse button. It also changes Ctrl scroll to Alt scroll.

#IfWinActive ahk_class indesign
;Middle mouse button moves the page
    MButton::
    Send {Space Down}{LButton Down}
    Keywait, MButton
    Send {LButton Up}{Space Up}
    Return
;Map Ctrl+Wheel to do Alt+Wheel
    ^WheelUp::!WheelUp
    ^WheelDown::!WheelDown
#IfWinActive

Answer 3

I solved the problem. Edit > Preferences > Tools > Check the item "Zoom with Scroll Wheel" Now you changed Alt to CTRL to zoom in/out. That's it. version: Photoshop CC 2019

Answer 4

If you go to 'Edit → Keyboard shortcuts' you can set your own keys.